Palliative care for pets at home

Older cats and dogs with reduced mobility may need help with eating and drinking. Raising bowls so they don’t have to bend their neck can help.

Veterinary practice has changed since I graduated in 1987. With medical technology becoming more accessible—radiation therapy for cancer palliation, acupuncture and hydrotherapy now widely available to improve mobility—vets now have a bottomless toolbox for older or debilitated pets.

Palliative care is treatment of symptoms of a condition rather than treatment of the underlying condition itself. So, for an older cat with renal disease, we can’t fix